Cymiazole hydrochloride is the active ingredient of a synthetic,
systemically acting acaricide used in beekeeping (Apitol®, Apichem®).
Considering that residues of cymiazole hydrochloride were detected in
all bee products being used for human nutrition and as alternative medications
in human and veterinary medicine, the objective of this study
was to evaluate the effects of cymiazole hydrochloride on mitotic activity
of cultured human lymphocytes. The mitotic and proliferation indices
in phytohaemagglutinin-activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes
were determined using three experimental concentrations of cymiazole
hydrochloride (0.01; 0.1; 1mg/ml). All experimental concentrations
of cymiazole hydrochloride increased mitotic index values (MI) by a statistically
highly significant amount (p<0.001). Moreover, proliferation index
(PI) was also changed very significantly (p<0.001) after each experimental
cymiazole hydrochloride treatment.
The dose dependent increase in proliferation index values clearly
demonstrates the ability of cymiazole hydrochloride to induce significant
alterations of cell cycle kinetics, having an influence on G0 state
and arousing cell division. This indicates a risk from consuming bee
products with cymiazole hydrochloride residues, particularly in those
predisposed to malignant diseases. Strict respect to the withrawal time
while using cymiazole hydrochloride (Apitol®, Apichem®) is of great importance
because residue levels higher than the permitted one can
easily occur in honey and other bee products from treated honey bee
colonies.